My family entered plastics distribution and fabrication in 1968. Dad listened to the guy in "The Graduate" and bought in. I was a teen with access to a shop filled with Plexiglas® Acrylic sheets, Lexan®, Plastic Sheets & Fiberglass sheet. Add UHMW, PTFE, plastic glue, Multiwall polycarbonate, Seaboard, architectural and engineering plastics. 40 years later I educate our team on new materials and processes - to customers worldwide. It’s new every day.

Monday, January 24, 2011

This is too cool. I generate enough recycled material to make 1 of these every week.

The design for the sculpture was created by architect J.D. Messick.

Tom Fruin, a New York-based installation artist, recently traveled to Copenhagen where he built this stunning outdoor pavilion in plaza outside of the Royal Danish Library. Constructed out of hand welded angle iron and about a thousand scraps of reclaimed plexiglass, Kolonihavehus is a portable structure commissioned by CoreAct, a Copenhagen-based performance company headed by Anika Barkan and Helene Kvint.

Thank you to Bridgette Meinhold, author of this information on inhabitat.com

Monday, January 17, 2011

These two products do a fine job of dissolving the adhesive from labels, price tags and even paper masking paper that has dried out. Masking paper is the toughest and you have to soak the masking paper with the kerosene - it may take 15-30 minutes to get through the paper to the adhesive and loosen it. If you're lucky, the paper will peel off. If it appears you have to scrape a little, you must use a tool that is softer than the acrylic/plexiglass. That would be a plastic kitchen tool/spatula that is usually HDPE material. Don't use metal. Please.

WD-40 is great for small stickers/price tags that you need to remove. Spray a little on the tag, and in minutes you can peel off.

CLEANUP - use dish soap and water to remove the WD40 and Kerosene. Wipe with soft cloth.

Note: WD-40 was invented right here in San Diego (Water Dispersing formula #40) - a must for every tool kit.

Friday, January 14, 2011

The only thing about PLASTICS being made from OIL and Natural Gas is that the price of making the plastic rises and falls along with the costs of these resources.

But wait - that's not all.

Demand from India, China and other markets have put pressure on the supply chain. That means whoever wants the resins will pay dearly for the privilege of that purchase.

As of Feb 2011, we're seeing price increase os 6-7% on acrylics, polycarbonates and PETG plastic materials. We're also seeing 10% increases on polyolefins such as HDPE, LDPE, Polypropylene. This is on top of price increases in Q3 of 2010 that hit these materials as well as ABS & Styrene.

I get some great questions from time to time - here's a cool one to share:

Greetings and or Howdy,

I've been researching Dick Proenneke's Alaskan cabin and in his writings he says this about his window..

"Mylar, strong flexible, clear polyester used in place of window glass in the Proenneke cabin..."

My question I'm thinking would be..

a. Does that sound to you that Dick's "window" was Mylar film stretched as a window because of it's ability to withstand the extreme temperatures?

b. Have you any knowledge of a product with better performance when dealing with a temperature ranging from approximately 80 degrees F to -80 degrees F?

If you folks have something suitable, my needs only require a small amount to cover a few small window openings so in the winter I don't become a popsicle in my sleep....might scare the locals.

---------

My answer:

Clear polyester is amazingly stable – you can buy sheets 24x48 or 48” wide roll – cut with a razor blade and staple to the frame.I would put a panel over both sides of the window to insulate. It does not stretch or tear.

Best question of the day award!

There you go - easy as that! search for “007 clear polyester” on the site – I would go with that thickness .

Friday, January 7, 2011

Question from reader:I plan to use Lexan on my homemade solar panel. I intent to encapsulate the solar cells directly to the Lexan.

Will Lexan warp over time when exposed to the sun? How about other Plexiglass? Does it depend on the thickness of each?

If so, what thickness do you recommend?-----------------The Lexan will haze unless you use a special outdoors version – like Makrolon 15 – something new on the market. Plexiglass will not change.

The question is do you need strength (Lexan) or clarity (Plex) – you can also go thinner with Lexan but it will be hard to locate anything thinner than 1/8” in Mak15. I would stay with 1/8” for Plexiglass.